I just got a bunch of books on a deal that I'm dying to read  but boy, are they REALLY smokey. People have posted tips here on various ways to get rid of the smoke.  Anyone got some fullproof tips they've used?!

I put them out in my garage last night and they still stink - some worse than others. It's like permeated the individual pages and not just the book. Luckily I live in California - maybe they'll be outside reading books! lol :)

ETA: It's cigarette smoke.

What kind of smoke is it?

If it's cigarette smoke, then time and fresh air will help.  My mom is a heavy smoker and some of my books were stored at her house.  It took them a while to lose their smoke smell but it did eventually come out.  I say keep them in a garage and let the box get plenty of air flow.

If it's different smoke, like say, there was a house fire and the books weren't damaged, but were exposed to heavy smoke - that's harder to get out, if not impossible. 

Laura - I edited my post. It's cigarette smoke. Thanks!

Carol -  The handslap wasn't necessary. I abide by all PBS rules and have no intention of sending out smokey books to those who request otherwise. That was a tad insulting for you to even post that to this thread. I want to read them myself and was asking for advice on how *I* could air them out for my benefit not anyone else's.

Do you have any suggestions?

Susie - as an exsmoker these are some of the ways I've been somewhat successful.   Put the book in a large zip lock bag with any of the following: activated charcoal, kitty litter, or crumbled newspapers.   I have found that newspapers work about as well as anything.  IF possible to have your books opened a bit "fanned" in the the zip lock it will help.   Leave them that way a couple of days - then refresh the newspaper.      If you have several books you can do them all at one time in a rubbermaid type container with the newspaper.    

I would like to add that when I mentioned storing books at my mother's house- this was years ago with some of my own personal collection and had nothing to do with PBS books I currently have listed.

I am also very sensitive to cigarette smoke but I can tell you that time and fresh air WILL get rid of it.  I was pleasantly  surprised to realize this.

Placed several dryer sheets through the book and one at the beginning and one at the end.Place in a ziplock bag for a few days.This method is the quickest one and work everytime.

I have severe allergy this works every time. I've even use the unscented dryer sheets.

I agree that the dryer sheets work the best and don't JUST cover up the smoke smell.   I didn't mention it because every time I've mentioned dryer sheets I find out how many people are allergic to them.    They DO remove the snoke, not cover it up, so Susie if you aren't allergic to them, try it.

Awesome - thanks you guys!

Sorry, Susan - that certainly wasn't meant as a handslap. I have received so many books here that I couldn't read due to smoke (despite the conditions on my account), that I have had to revise them many times due to some people trying to cover up the smell. I didn't mean to imply that you would do that and repost the books; I just would like everyone who posts books to think twice about where they might go next. While you wouldn't send them to someone who requests otherwise, if you trade them to someone else who doesn't smell the smoke, they might go on to send the book to me, but I wouldn't be able to read it. 

Anyway, sorry you took my post the wrong way.  I certainly didn't mean to offend you, rather I thought I was just making an important point for a heads up as there are many people here with 'book issues' like me.  Actually, it is because we are able to add to the conditions that I can even trade here. Until finding PBS, i had to buy all of my books brand new - quite expensive, as you might imagine! 

Anyway, sorry I offended you. That wasn't my intent.  Carol Ann